Special needs students, Hispanic women engineering students among
those benefiting from active learning classrooms

March 27, 2018 10:25 AM Eastern Daylight Time

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sixteen educational institutions including traditional 4-year colleges
and universities, a technical and community college, middle and high
schools, an independent girls’ boarding school and even a
self-proclaimed “UnSchool” - where students drive education outcomes -
will be receiving an active learning classroom through the fourth annual Steelcase
Education Active Learning Center Grant. This year’s grant recipients
represent a variety of institution types and learning models, and all
are showing a commitment to innovation and improving student outcomes.

This grant program supports active learning strategies in classrooms
where teachers are already striving to implement related practices by
installing a learning space with furniture designed to encourage student
engagement and success. Recipient institutions plan to use the active
learning classroom for diverse purposes, from converting a library space
to educating students in topics ranging from nursing education,
engineering and STEM courses, writing and language arts, special
education, and training future educators to implement active learning in
their own classrooms.

“Our grant recipients come from school districts and regions across
North America, demonstrating that active learning and personalized
teaching methods are top of mind for all educators today,” said Craig
Wilson, Director of Market Development, Steelcase Education. “We chose
to partner with each of these institutions because of their commitment
to evolving pedagogy, innovative learning and student success.”

Grant recipients are located throughout North America, including both
the United States and Mexico. The grant is valued at approximately
$67,000 per classroom and covers the furniture, design, installation and
on-site training needed to effectively use the new spaces. Classrooms
will be installed beginning in summer 2018.

An additional benefit for the recipients is the opportunity to
participate in an annual symposium with all awarded schools to share
insights and best practices. Over the two-year program, Steelcase
Education and the schools will partner together to conduct assessments
and research on the impact of the newly designed spaces.

“We are excited to learn from these innovative and enthusiastic teachers
and faculty members,” said Marisa Sergnese, training and professional
development leader at Steelcase Education. “As we share with instructors
best practices for incorporating the active learning environment into
their curriculum, their insights will also inform our research, future
products and strategic development to better the educational experience.”

Earlier grant recipients have been conducting qualitative and
quantitative research on these impacts, measuring specific student
outcomes and teacher effectiveness. Research
from Cycle 1 of the program has shown the active learning
classroom’s impact on student and instructor metrics, including:

Bernards High School (Somerset Hills School District),
Bernardsville, NJ

Defiance College, Defiance, OH

Jackson Hole Middle School (Teton County School District #1),
Jackson, WY

New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM

Oregon Institute of Technology, Klamath Falls, OR

Polk State College, Winter Haven, FL

Radford University, Radford, VA

River Oaks Baptist School, Houston, TX

San Juan Unified School District, the UnSchool,
Carmichael, CA

Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College,
Cumberland, KY

The Ethel Walker School, Simsbury, CT

Universidad Regiomontana, Monterrey, Nuevo León, MX

University of Connecticut, Storrs, Storrs, CT

Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

Through this grant program, Steelcase Education has invested
approximately $1 million to improve classrooms across North America.
These schools and universities were chosen out of over 1,000
applications for their unique approaches to active learning. For more
information on the winners, visit the Steelcase
Education website.

“We’d like to thank our terrific dealers who have stepped up to support
the recipients,” said Wilson. “Arbee Associates is working with Bernards
High School; Barrows is working with Virginia Polytechnic Institute and
State University and Radford University; Business Environments is
working with New Mexico State University; GLT Total Office is working
with Polk State College; McCoy is working with River Oaks Baptist
School; OfficeScapes is working with Angevine Middle School; Arapahoe
Ridge Alternative High School; and Jackson Hole Middle School; ORI is
working with Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College;
Productive Business Interiors is working with Defiance College; Red
Thread is working with University of Connecticut and The Ethel Walker
School; Smith CFI is working with Oregon Institute of Technology; and
UCF is working with the UnSchool in the San Juan Unified School
District.”

Steelcase Education

As lifelong learners, Steelcase Education aims to make a difference in
education. For students, educators and designers, the organization
creates the most effective, rewarding and inspiring learning spaces. As
a dedicated group within Steelcase exclusively focused on education, it
brings evidence-based design, technology and innovative solutions to
education environments, wherever learning happens.